Iridium Communications Inc., a provider of global voice, data, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite services, has announced that Mlink Technology Inc. (Mlink), a fabless semiconductor company specializing in IoT and satellite communication chipsets, has begun live, on-air testing of its MS150-IR IoT-NTN chipset using Iridium NTN Direct. MS150-IR is a variant version of the MS150 chipset family, developed specifically for Iridium NTN Direct as part of Mlink's global IoT-NTN product portfolio.
Mlink joins a developing ecosystem of chipset providers supporting Iridium NTN Direct, Iridium's 3GPP standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) service. By integrating Iridium NTN Direct, Mlink's chipsets will help device manufacturers, module makers, and mobile network operators (MNOs) extend low-power IoT connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial networks through a single global satellite platform. The companies anticipate certification and product availability before the end of 2026.
"We're excited by Mlink's strong progress and the successful transition from lab testing to live on-orbit validation over the Iridium network," said Tim Last, Executive Vice President, Iridium. "This achievement demonstrates the technical maturity of both teams and the readiness of Iridium NTN Direct. We look forward to certification of the MS150-IR chipset later this year, giving our partners and customers additional high-quality, standards-compliant options for global NB-IoT and D2D connectivity."
"Having the opportunity to collaborate with Iridium in the emerging NTN field is a tremendous opportunity for Mlink," said Zhiping An, Co-Founder and Vice President, Mlink. "Our MS150-IR chipset platform has successfully completed Iridium's laboratory testing and has now progressed into the over-the-air (OTA) testing phase. We also have introduced a comprehensive reference design kit, enabling our customers to accelerate product development and commercialization. We look forward to leveraging Iridium NTN Direct to provide high-quality low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication services to customers around the world, enabling reliable and efficient global connectivity."
Iridium NTN Direct leverages Iridium's network of 66 cross-linked LEO satellites and 3GPP standards to deliver low-latency, reliable connectivity with defined signal penetration on a global basis. The service is designed for IoT applications, including asset tracking, logistics, utilities, agriculture, automotive, industrial monitoring, and remote infrastructure, extending connectivity where terrestrial coverage is unavailable, limited, or unreliable.
For chipset vendors, module manufacturers, OEMs, and MNOs, Iridium NTN Direct is intended to support integration of satellite connectivity into existing products and networks without requiring additional terrestrial infrastructure. The service enables partners to extend coverage and support device applications using globally recognized standards.
Mlink's advancement adds to Iridium's existing roster of chipset partners and supports commercial availability of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026. Iridium NTN Direct is designed to deliver standards-based NB-IoT and D2D connectivity, enabling devices, sensors, and assets to connect globally.
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